The Labor enquirer., 1887-08-20
HOT SOCIALISTS.
The George Men Challenged to
Debate Socialism in
NswJYork.
But They Fail to Show Up and Some
Exceedingly Plain Talk
Is Made.
condensed nom New York Sun.

York, to see if Henry George, DR.
McGlynn, or John McMaekir
would be there to debate with the
leaders of the excommunicatee
Socialists of the United Labor
Party. The three land tax agita
tors had been invited after the
George party bounced the Social
lists Thursday night by the county
committee of the United Labor
Party.
A message from Henry George
set the Socialists Kissing with the
combined energy of many pairs Of
lungs. 1t was these words from
Mr.. George that provoked the
wrathful outburst:
beg you will convey to the ex-
ecutive committee my apprecia-
ton Of the compliment implied in
their invitation. | am, however,
compelled to decline it. AS
have been chosen delegate to the
Syracuse convention, there would
he manifest improperly in my
discussing in advance, and in a
meeting called by another political
organization, any of the important
questions which must shortly come
before that convention for consid-
Grafton and. decision.
The Socialistic leaders went for
Henry George, DIR. McGlynn and
John McMackin and in way that
would have made these leaders
ears tingle if they had chanced to
be there. Editor Shevitch pas
sionately declared that the excom-
municated Socialists we're the
historic philosophers who were
going to save the Labor Party
from evil, and that they were bet
ter managers by far for the party
than Henry George and DR.. Nc
Glynn, who he said were made the
tools of the rascally men in the
party who wanted to gain power
by dirty trickery, and who didn't
care how much they smirched the
party. The Socialists who had
been kicked out were the tru-
est friends of labor. They were
ready even now to forgive the
great mistake and 60 back into
the ranks.
The meeting carried, with a
great shout, resolutions denounc-
ing Chairman McMackin's deci-
sion communicating the Social
lists and a demand for its immedi-
ate reconsideration, and then
Walter Nrooman, the Socialist
missionary from Kansas City,
pitched into George with fiery
vigor He said:
1t is now time for plain talk.
The Socialists voted for Henry
George, although they did not ap-
prove of his pet land tax theory.
The Socialists gave him the privi-
lege to preach free trade, which
but few of the great body of work
ingmen favor. Now he comes out
and shows his ignorance and un-
fairness by misrepresenting the
Socialists, and trying to shut them
up on the ground that Socialism
is an unpopular doctrine. He says:
I'VE must excommunicate those
who do not worship me as the one
man who is competent to lead the
laborers. We must excommuni
cate those who don't appreciate
me-"
We say that the party founded
on a mere theory and bossed bv
two men is not the Labor PARTY.
The people think that there are
too many preachers and lawyers
in that one theory party, and that
1t ought to change its name to
something else If the great
Labor Party is to dwindle into a
little land tax party of one idea
and one man it is doomed to dis
aster and ruin. To save it il must
be made party into whose ranks
all genuine workers are welcome.
MIR. Nrooman said that Nc
Mackins act of accommodation
against the Socialists was wholly
unprovoked and the work of dis
appointed politicians who were
being defeated in their selfish
chase for pelf and power BY the
Socialists.
Alexander Jonas was the mex,
10 take a whack al GEORGE He